The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Obolo clan in Akwa Ibom State, has renewed its call for a pipeline surveillance contract promised by Sterling Global and Natural Oil Field Services. The appeal followed a council meeting in Uyo, where new operational chapters were also inaugurated.
Led by Chairman Michael Jaja, Secretary Ezekiel Uneadasi, and Assistant Secretary Matthew Uraniyok, along with 23 other members, the council expressed frustration over what they described as a broken promise. According to the group, the companies had assured them of a security contract to monitor pipeline operations once a blueprint was developed. That commitment remains unmet, leaving local youths without a vital opportunity for employment and economic growth.
The council also outlined several additional demands, including the immediate award of the surveillance contract, reliable electricity supply, creation of a Host Community Trust Fund, and strict adherence to the 2010 Local Content Law through the employment of Eastern Obolo residents.
Concerns about political exclusion were also raised. The IYC noted that, for more than a decade, no indigene from Eastern Obolo has held a state commissioner position or a seat on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board, despite the area’s substantial contribution to oil production in Akwa Ibom and Nigeria.
The group did, however, commend Governor Umo Eno for his recent intervention in reopening creeks previously closed in the Obianga and Ikonta communities. The closure had sparked public outcry, and the governor’s directive to restore access was seen as a timely and welcome move.
The IYC emphasized that their community deserves equal representation and economic inclusion, calling on authorities to immediately appoint a commissioner from the oil-producing Eastern Obolo region.
